I just joined this forum and I'm hoping someone can help me. I live extremely rural, off the grid. I have no utility company's and just recently was able to start getting cellphone signals in my home. Last fall I put up a Wilson 11db yagi antenna 35ft. off of the ground and failed to pull in any cell towers. Strange as it may be, I bought my daughter a cheap pre-pay cellphone and couldn't believe she got 1 BAR WITHOUT THE YAGI....!! Due to atmospheric conditions, sometimes we can call and sometimes not. We went high tech now with a ladder to climb on top of the roof. It almost always works. The yagi antenna is rated for 900Mhz and doesn't improve the signal at all. It did improve the signal on my older phone when I tested it nearer to the city. I'm sure the yagi is connected and pointed correctly. Why can't cell phone companies give their customers technical specifications? I wish I knew what frequency antenna to waste my money on now? If i knew the frequency i could build one myself. I hope someone can help us before we slip off the snowy roof!
Actually, this very site can tell you what carriers are available in what areas, and the exact frequencies they use. http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/wireless-company-in-major-cities I assume that you are in the US, but your post and info does not specify nor what carriers you are trying to use. In most areas, Verizon uses 850mhz, as well as some 1900mhz. AT&T is usually the same. Sprint uses only 1900mhz. Tmobile uses 1900mhz for their GSM network, and 1700mhz for their 3G network. Nextel uses some sort of 800mhz SMR tech. Since you have a 900mhz antenna, I do not imagine that it will be of much help to you at all. I am sure that some other users here can help you out and find the right antenna.
Thanks for your quick reply. I live in US just a few miles south of Canada in Minnesota. The site you recommended didn't seem to list the pre-pay companys. My daughter and I have Net-10. Maybe didn't list them because the pre-pay companies only rent towers / antennas from the big guys?
Net 10 uses AT&T's network. Also, no North American carrier uses the 900mhz frequency. US and Canadian frequencies are 850/1900 (along with 700/1700, depending on the carrier). 900mhz is used in Europe and other places around the world.
I also want to add that just an antenna without a repeater or some sort of signal booster probably won't help. Anything you gain from the antenna will be lost in the connecting wire.
>NET 10 uses AT&T's network. Also, no North American carrier uses the 900mhz frequency. US and Canadian frequencies are 850/1900 (along with 700/1700, depending on the carrier). 900mhz is used in Europe and other places around the world< With all those variables how do I pick the right antenna? I have a short Wilson magnetic mobile antenna in my car which I have been using for the past 3 years. I use it in the "fringe area," about a 3 mile drive from my home. It has no amplifier. It improves the signal by 150%. I'm mystified. That same mobile antenna set up works on the old Net-10 phone but not on the new one. This new phone must be using different frequencies not available to the old. A good thing unless you not informed. I don't mean to contradict you Yankees368 but I moved here 5 years ago and had a Cingular phone and a yagi antenna 40ft off of the ground with a Wilson 4 watt amplifier. I had excellent signal strength with that combination for about 2 weeks. Then it suddenly became intermittent at best. My neighbor experienced the same thing with his similar set up. Just for curiosity I tried the cellphone without the 4watt amplifier. The cell phone with a 40ft cable and no amplifier worked better than it did with the amplifier. Looks like the cellphone companies are too busy wheeling and dealing with towers, frequencies and capitol to take the time to provide a consistent service to their customers. Or maybe us rural people just are not a large enough profit to bother with?
It seems a simple answer would be to get a 'dual band' antenna (plus maybe a dual band amp). Hopefully our member 'Maximum Signal' can chime in with a more technical answer. Those products are his business.
The new Maximum Signal by SCT Wireless amplifiers will solver your issues. They operate on 800 mhz and 1900 mhz and cover all carriers broadcasting on those frequencies regardless whether they are GSM or CDMA . They are brand new and pass all the new standards being implemented by the FCC and also are the only amplifiers to pass the new PTCRB testing . You can check them out at Maximum Signal - NOW, You can Hear Me!
If you have a smartphone, you can get a rough idea which antenna location is being used with Google Maps with GPS and WiFi turned off. If you have an Android or Blackberry, you can get detailed cell info by using the Cellumap program available at Cellumap Cellular Coverage Maps. You might be surprised at the actual location of your tower.
